KNOWLEDGE: Real Hip Hop

Hip hop is not just a genre of music; it is a lifestyle. Hip hop is the coming together of different people from around the world, in other words, the unity of people.

The media and society has depicted the hip hop culture as being negative. For example, in music videos they show the rappers with all this money, cars, and women around them. But this is NOT Real Hip Hop!

Brief History:
The hip hop culture is a movement which started mostly by African and Latin Americans in the Bronx, New York in the 1970s. Hip hop has four major elements which are MCing (rapping), DJing, graffiti writing (graffing), and bboying (break dancing). Also, there are other elements such as beat boxing, fashion, and slang.

Hip hop was based around DJ’s and MC’s which created a rhythmic beat and style of singing. Then, the original style of dancing and dressing soon followed. Graffiti writing comes into hip hop as a form of visual art. Also, beat boxing is a unique vocal technique which mimics the DJ’s beats. Over the years there have been a few tune ups to each element.

Hip hop has a mixture of genres which can be a way of understanding it such as funk, disco, soul, samba, scat singing, performance poetry, and blues.

Watch the video below and it will give you some insight on hip hop…

Art in Culture

Culture can mean many different things; it can be someone's upbringing, religious faith, art forms, and/or community's traditions. Culture gives people a sense of belonging. For most individuals, to be a part of something is very important.

In this case, culture influences the different types of art forms that we engage in. As for me growing up in Miami, I am greatly influenced by the Hispanic culture; the food I eat, music I listen to, as well as, the way I dress.

The most influential forms of art, in my opinion, have to be music and dancing. Each culture has their own genres of music and way of dancing. Like for Cubans, their most popular genre of music is Son and form of dancing is Salsa. Dominicans are known for Bachata, Puerto Ricans for Reggaeton, and Columbians for Vallenato. Music and dancing allows each individual to bring their culture no matter where they live or where they are at.

Culture also has a major roll in fashion. The way we dress allows us to show our background to others. For example, in India the women wear saris which the material is in vibrant colors and in Japan the traditional clothing are kimonos.

In Miami we have many different cultures so it is easy for us to be a part of something and have a sense of belonging.